Does lowering my calorie intake mess up my metabolism?

RebekahAnn88

Been doing the 1200 net calories just counting my steps as excercize the last 3 weeks, about a day per week I would be over but not by much but haven't had any change in clothes fit or the scale so I'm trying to figure out what's next to adjust to get some kind of results even if it is small... is the lowered calories negatively effecting my metabolism? That's the only thing I can think of

TR0berts

No, your metabolism is fine - especially after three weeks. For that one day - how much over are you?

TeaBea

It's highly unlikely you effected your metabolism. "Starvation mode" is largely myth.

How is your logging? Are you weighing portions on a scale, using measuring cups, or just eye-balling things? A digital food scale is going to be most accurate.

Many of the entries in MFP's data base are entered by users. Some of these are very wrong. Double check your entries.

How many steps are you adding as exercise? Are they being added via FitBit or another activity tracker? If you are manually entering them, you could have some double counting. Activity trackers compare your actual activity to your stated activity level & credit you just for the difference. You could be eating back too many exercise calories back. Many people eat back just a % (to start) because some estimates are fairly generous.

RebekahAnn88

The days over were about 200 over which is still well within the 1790 mfp suggests for me

My logging does consist more of the 'eyeballing' for portions since I don't have a scale. For the entries I try to use the ones with the green check to be more accurate with it. Do you think the portion difference could cost 600+ calories? I find that hard to believe as all my lunches are prepackaged and have the calories on the box that I am sure to match with my meal and about half of my dinners I eat out which mfp usually has an exact menu that I use. Breakfast is usually just coffee from home logging my sugar and milk in it.

The steps are automatically added from my phone and I don't always have my phone on me so that doesn't get counted. The earned calories are usually around 150-300 calories daily M-F and less on the weekends

RunZumba

Your metabolism is probably just fine, unless you've been to a doctor who has done tests and has told you otherwise. I don't know what your specific stats are, therefore I can't suggest that you eat more/fewer calories than what you're currently eating. But, in my experience the thing that burns the most calories the fastest is intense cardio. However, if you're not used to anything intense and are simply walking for exercise, just try picking up your pace a little next time you go for a walk. Then after a week pick it up a little bit more. Eventually over time your pace will become faster as a matter of course, therefore increasing your calorie burn. If you're open to other forms of cardio, try different things (try swimming, biking, slow running/walking, zumba, skating, whatever appeals to you) and find something that you really enjoy to the point where you don't even notice the time going by. [For example, for me that is Zumba.] Whatever you end up liking most, stick with that for a while, do it 3 times a week and see if that produces better results for you.

sllm1

Eyeballing and eating out frequently could be the cause. The serving sizes in restaurants can vary greatly from what's printed online, and the sodium will cause you to retain water and think you're not losing (even if you are).

I would not go below 1200 net - just tighten up on logging and measuring.

TR0berts

RebekahAnn88 wrote: »

The days over were about 200 over which is still well within the 1790 mfp suggests for me

My logging does consist more of the 'eyeballing' for portions since I don't have a scale. For the entries I try to use the ones with the green check to be more accurate with it. Do you think the portion difference could cost 600+ calories? I find that hard to believe as all my lunches are prepackaged and have the calories on the box that I am sure to match with my meal and about half of my dinners I eat out which mfp usually has an exact menu that I use. Breakfast is usually just coffee from home logging my sugar and milk in it.

The steps are automatically added from my phone and I don't always have my phone on me so that doesn't get counted. The earned calories are usually around 150-300 calories daily M-F and less on the weekends

There was a thread a couple of months ago regarding the part I bolded. The woman finally weighed a prepackaged item and found it weighed muuuuuuch more than what the package stated. As such, she was consuming many more Calories. So, yeah - invest in a food scale - $10-$15 at Walmart or Target (probably in your local supermarket, too).

LuckyNumbers

Agreed that you need to log accurately, and that means weighing your food. Skip a dinner out to buy a digital food scale. I got mine on Amazon for less than $10.

rainbowbow

RebekahAnn88 wrote: »

The days over were about 200 over which is still well within the 1790 mfp suggests for me

My logging does consist more of the 'eyeballing' for portions since I don't have a scale. For the entries I try to use the ones with the green check to be more accurate with it. Do you think the portion difference could cost 600+ calories? I find that hard to believe as all my lunches are prepackaged and have the calories on the box that I am sure to match with my meal and about half of my dinners I eat out which mfp usually has an exact menu that I use. Breakfast is usually just coffee from home logging my sugar and milk in it.

The steps are automatically added from my phone and I don't always have my phone on me so that doesn't get counted. The earned calories are usually around 150-300 calories daily M-F and less on the weekends

yes, absolutely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjKPIcI51lU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

I cannot stress enough how easy it is to underestimate what youre eating especially if you are eye-balling.

SueSueDio

Yep, get a scale Rebekah! It really is worth it, and you soon get used to weighing everything even if it seems a pain at first. Even weigh your prepackaged stuff - if you always eat the same things you could just weigh a few to see how much they're off on average and then adjust your regular logging to account for that if needed.

Restaurant meals are iffy because even if they have online nutritional info you can't guarantee that any two chefs will make the meal in the exact same way and with the exact same amount of each ingredient... I treat those numbers as a guideline more than anything. If you eat out a lot then that might be affecting your progress - is there any way to limit those meals, or is it a requirement of your lifestyle?

And lastly, be patient. Some people do get a big "whoosh" when they start restricting (I lost 6lbs my first week - woohoo! Didn't last... ), but for others it can take a few weeks before results really start to show. It's hard when you want to see some improvements to keep you motivated, but sadly it doesn't always happen right away. All I can say is trust the process and stick with it, and you'll see results in time.

And weigh your food! Seriously. It's worth it. (Make sure you watch those videos... )

cerise_noir

RebekahAnn88 wrote: »

The days over were about 200 over which is still well within the 1790 mfp suggests for me

When you do get a food scale, definitely aim for the 1790 (is that for a 2lb/week loss?)

SueSueDio

cerise_noir wrote: »

RebekahAnn88 wrote: »

The days over were about 200 over which is still well within the 1790 mfp suggests for me

When you do get a food scale, definitely aim for the 1790 (is that for a 2lb/week loss?)

Good point - Rebekah, why are you aiming for 1200 when MFP is giving you 1790?

Dogmom1978

OP your metabolism is fine. However, you cannot "eyeball" portion sizes! Invest in a food scale and measure your food. I had no idea how far over a portion size my "eyeballing" was until I measured my food.

joans1976

3 biggest things I have learned:

1) The food scale is my friend and holds me accountable.

2) 1200 calories/day=torture, leads to binge eating and fatigue.

3) A well insulated lunch bag can make a huge difference.

I am 5'2" and have lost 48 pounds in 7 1/2 months. I have only been miserable for the 2 weeks I ate 1200 cals per day back in June.

Good luck! My advice isn't stellar or anything but a lot of people who have been on here awhile have good, solid advice. Take it!

rileysowner

rainbowbow wrote: »

RebekahAnn88 wrote: »

The days over were about 200 over which is still well within the 1790 mfp suggests for me

My logging does consist more of the 'eyeballing' for portions since I don't have a scale. For the entries I try to use the ones with the green check to be more accurate with it. Do you think the portion difference could cost 600+ calories? I find that hard to believe as all my lunches are prepackaged and have the calories on the box that I am sure to match with my meal and about half of my dinners I eat out which mfp usually has an exact menu that I use. Breakfast is usually just coffee from home logging my sugar and milk in it.

The steps are automatically added from my phone and I don't always have my phone on me so that doesn't get counted. The earned calories are usually around 150-300 calories daily M-F and less on the weekends

yes, absolutely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjKPIcI51lU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

I cannot stress enough how easy it is to underestimate what youre eating especially if you are eye-balling.

I was going to post the first of these. Glad I read the rest of the responses. Yes, not measuring carefully (weighing solids and using volume measures for liquids) can result in being way off, even doubling the calories.

rileysowner

Another aside, oddly enough, the fast food restaurants are usually far closer on calories than nice sit down restaurants likely because they run on such tight margins and require all food to follow strict recipes.

RebekahAnn88

Cerise and Sue- yes the 1790 is for the two pounds a week, many people have shared that 1200 will help with weight loss because it is a sufficient amount of caloric intake and it helps you focus on your fruits and veggies more because they cost less calories instead of the non nutritional starches... so far I haven't had a problem feeling bad and I keep a protein like small amount of nuts or fresh fruit on hand for an in between snack that usually causes the craving to subside.

My eating out is because that's how anyone socialized with me in life so I usually have one dinner out with a friend or family member each week plus my husband and I have a regular date night where we eat out and the unexpected run out of food or are so hungry we don't want to spend an hour cooking... I do meal plan and generally make two or three big home cooked meals on Sunday that we eat through the course of the week but it's always like the day before we go grocery shopping we run out of one thing or another causing me not to be able to make another meal or one of us eats the leftovers early

rsnoda3123

I started out walking a few days a week and now I switch it up by riding my exercise bike a few days a week. I still walk a few days but about twice a week I alternate jogging a couple of laps then walking one or two. I get shin splints so I'm not a runner but figure I can jog intervals a lap or two at a time to boost burning calories. I started sprints on the bike this morning too. Anything to mix it up and keep burning calories. If you don't want to or can't jog I wonder if carrying hand weights during your walk might help.

Unknown

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rileysowner

As has been stated already, you are very likely eating more than you think you are. Until that is addressed you will continue to struggle to lose.